Roman kiln firing at Vindolanda to support breast cancer charity
The Vindolanda Trust is joining forces with a family pottery business for a special Roman kiln firing to raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Potters Graham Taylor and Sarah Lord of Potted History will fire Vindolanda’s reconstructed Roman kiln, aiming to fill it with around 200 ceramic votive breasts and figures associated with health, healing and protection.
In the Roman world, anatomical votives were offerings made to the gods by people seeking healing or protection.
This event brings that ancient tradition into the present day, reflecting on advances in medical treatment and the continuing need for breast cancer research.
For Sarah, the event has a deeply personal significance.
Diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2024, she has undergone an intensive course of treatment and is now looking towards the future.
Sarah said: “I am incredibly grateful for the treatment that has given me the chance to be here, making pots, raising my family and looking towards the future.
“I want people diagnosed with breast cancer in the years to come to have an even better chance of surviving it, with treatments that are more effective and, hopefully, kinder than those many of us undergo today.”
Potted History will make a donation to Breast Cancer Now as part of the event, supporting the charity’s work in research and patient support.
Visitors will also be encouraged to contribute to the fundraising effort.
Alongside the votive breasts, the firing will include specially created figures of deities associated with healing and protection, including a new figure of Artemis of Ephesus designed by Sarah for the occasion.
A spokesperson for The Vindolanda Trust said: “We are delighted to be working with Graham and Sarah on this special event. It’s a lovely way to connect the Roman practice of seeking healing and protection with a cause that affects so many people today.
"We’re looking forward to seeing the kiln fired up and welcoming visitors to be part of an event that brings history and a very personal story together.”
Visitors are invited to join the team at Vindolanda on Saturday, October 24 to watch the firing and discover more about Roman beliefs surrounding health and healing, while supporting Potted History’s fundraising initiative for Breast Cancer Now.